


Michelle's gonna kill us

by Rionam



Category: Derry Girls (TV)
Genre: Drunken Confessions, Drunken Kissing, F/M, Getting Together, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-11-02 00:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20566601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rionam/pseuds/Rionam
Summary: “Ever since the prom, I can’t stop thinking about you Erin.”..Two bottles of vodka down at the "James is staying forever" party and things start to get interesting.





	Michelle's gonna kill us

**Author's Note:**

> I finished another rewatch of Derry Girls S2 and somehow this happened.
> 
> I've not written for Derry Girls, or any fandom at all for a while so any feedback would be appreciated!

Parties around Derry went on late into the night. All of the US-centric mania which had swept the town exploded into the most Irish of traditions – drinking, and lots of it. The pubs were overflowing, street parties raged and not a single of-age person could be seen without a drink in their hand. 

Or, for that matter, anyone underage. Particularly five Derry Girls with more than one reason to be celebrating that night. 

“I have to admit when he first arrived and I heard that feckin’ accent I had my doubts-” 

On their way back from the town square, in the height of their excitement over James’ return, Michelle has managed to convince an older boy to buy them two bottles of vodka from the off-license. And despite Clare’s protests, Michelle had also convinced her to let them take celebrations over to her empty house. Mrs Devlin was out of the way for an evening at a USA party elsewhere in Derry and wouldn’t be home that night. 

“Doubts?” James’ scoffed loudly, his voice higher pitched from the alcohol, “You said my Englishness made me unworthy to live in your house with you.” 

Michelle was holding court over the rest of the gang, making an ill-advised speech about how she knew James was a Derry Girl all along. They were all in varying stages of drunkenness (Clare having only drunk a couple of sips in fear something would get broken if she wasn’t hyper-vigilant), but as per usual Michelle was surpassing the rest. 

“Well yeah. Sometimes hearing that English accent before eight in the morning makes me wanna boke, but I can accept it because despite it all I do like you, James,” Michelle explained matter-of-factly. She swayed to one side and spilled the bottle she was holding onto the carpet. 

Clare yanked the bottle out of Michelle’s hand. “That is enough!” She squeaked, “If you don’t stop drinking Michelle you’re all gonna have to go.” 

The others laughed, at both Michelle’s lack of tact and Clare’s inability to relax. Erin reached up from her position lolling on the sofa and took the bottle out of Clare’s hand. 

“Come off it Clare, we can hardly go home like this. Mammy would kill me and Orla before we even closed the door.” Erin looked traumatized by the thought and took another swig of the pure vodka, wincing. Orla had already passed out, sleeping in Clare’s bed upstairs. 

“And after that display, there’s no way I'm dragging her drunken self home,” Added James moodily, holding out a hand to take the vodka next. The burning sip urged him on, “To think I nearly got away from this constant abuse but I chose to stay.” 

Erin winced at the thought. The few hours that had passed since James’ great return hadn’t yet washed away the hurt she’d felt when she realised he was really leaving. 

“And we’re very glad you did,” She responded, tipping the bottle towards him in salute. Both James and Erin put the slight shake in her voice down to the vodka. 

James quirked an eyebrow, “Some more than others.” 

Michelle was now explaining to Clare why it would be an absolute travesty if they didn’t invite the lads from the all-boys sixth form over to their impromptu after-party. Clare didn’t seem particularly swayed by the idea. 

“Oh James you know Michelle loves you really, she’s just-” Erin struggled to find the words to justify her friend’s utter aversion to anything or anyone that wasn’t Irish. 

Michelle seemed to have heard this exchange and inserted herself into the conversation, speaking in the least comforting tone possible. “You know I love you, James. Didn’t I just make a fantastic speech about how much you belong here?” 

There was a pause. Michelle had managed to irritate both her cousin and Erin by plonking herself right in the middle of the sofa. All night the pair had commandeered the sofa wordlessly, and with every pass of the bottle had crept closer and closer together. They had been mere inches from touching shoulders when Michelle forced herself between them. 

Not that anything was going on between Erin and James, of course. 

There had been an unexplainable tension between them ever since the prom. Even though they never even danced together, something had changed from the moment James had agreed to be her surrogate date. He’d had to admit to himself that he liked her enough to abandon his convention to save her feelings. And she’d had to admit that she preferred him on her arm to any other option. 

Michelle frowned, “Well? Aren't you going to acknowledge how great my speech was?” 

James shook his head in despair. 

“I think what James means,” Erin said in a slightly strained tone, “Is that when you’re trying to give someone a compliment, you’re better off staying away from insulting their accent and home country.” 

Her face flushed as James shot her a thankful smile. If Michelle hadn’t placed herself as a literal roadblock between them, she might have touched his shoulder in a comforting way. Stupid Michelle, always getting in her way. 

Michelle groaned theatrically. “Do NOT tell me you’re defending the English.” 

“Not all the English,” Erin rolled her eyes. Her eye moved from Michelle to her cousin, “Just this one’s not so bad.” 

Michelle snorted. If she noticed the pair holding each other’s gaze she refrained to mention it. 

“We’re all really happy you’re still here James,” Clare added, patting him on his curly head. She arranged herself in a way that she thought made her seem calm and collected, “And as much fun as this party has been, I’d really like to get some sleep before I have to clean it up in the morning.” 

Her gaze now lingered on Michelle, who was still sipping on the vodka whilst slouching across both James and Erin in a drunken stupor. 

“Don’t you need your beauty sleep, Michelle?” Clare asked, nonchalantly. Or what she thought sounded nonchalant, at least. 

“Are you saying I’m not already beautiful?” Michelle responded confrontationally, rising from the sofa to tower over Clare. 

“No! That’s not what I was saying.” 

Michelle laughed at how genuinely scared Clare looked that she’d hurt her feelings. “I’m kidding, calm down. Yeah, I guess we should go to bed if we ain’t having any of the lads round, present company excluded. Coming, Erin?” 

The girls were all to be sleeping upstairs in Clare’s room, whereas in an unusual turn of events James had opted to sleep alone on the sofa. The girls had always had him sleep in the room with them at sleepovers to make sure he felt like one of them, as in Michelle’s words “who would even wanna ride him anyway?” But tonight, he’d refused without explanation. 

“Oh, erm, not yet,” Erin said, avoiding anyone’s eye line, “Not tired. I’ll stay down here, keep James company for a bit.” 

“Suit yourself.” 

Michelle shrugged and let Clare help her up the stairs. James and Erin stifled laughs as he heard them collide into walls on their journey up to the bedroom. 

Now he and Erin were alone on the sofa it suddenly felt too close, they rarely if ever found themselves alone like this. His decision to stop on the sofa tonight had everything to do with the girl sat beside him. Ever since his revelation at prom, when he figured out his true feelings for Erin, he realised how difficult it would be to sleep beside her on nights like this. The group always slept in a kind of dogpile, using up all available space and not taking into account anyone’s personal bubble. So, he opted to sleep further away from her, hoping it would all go away. But yet here she still was. 

James got up, making his way into the kitchen. 

“Drink?” He called out, searching the cupboards for anything to mix this cheap vodka with. Why his cousin refused to mix her drinks when they always got her into such a state he didn’t know. Erin responded affirmatively and he poured them both a concoction. Bracing himself to speak to the girl he fancied alone, he returned to the living room. “Vodka and orange cordial, it’s all they had.” 

Erin smiled at his apology; these English boys were way too nice. It was what set James apart from his peers, and what led him to have to attend the all-girls school in the first place. But she had to admit that this one was particularly nice, especially when he was sitting as closely as he was now. The warmth radiation down her arm was very nice. 

“Don’t take Michelle too seriously, you know she doesn’t mean it.” 

James rolled his eyes, “Oh, believe me, I got immune to her words long ago.” 

There was quiet as they both sipped their vodka and orange. 

“She would actually be devastated if you had left, I think today showed that,” Erin said, trying to bolster James’ self-esteem. 

“I actually couldn’t believe it when she was begging me to stay,” James laughed incredulously, “I never thought I’d see the day. 

“I would have done the same!” Erin replied quickly, hating how earnest she sounded. She corrected herself, “Any one of us would have. You’re a Derry Girl now, James. Whether you like it or not.” 

“You’ve all got me here for good now. I mean, I’ve got nowhere else to go...” His voice trailed off into nothing. This was the first time he’d shown real hesitation to his decision to stay in Derry. 

Erin looked concerned; he hadn’t told any of the girls what had happened when he’d told his mum he wasn’t going back to England. If that was what had even happened. They had all been swept up in his triumphant return that no one had actually bothered to ask. 

“James? If you don’t mind me asking, what actually happened?” 

James took a gulp of the orangey vodka, suddenly looking distressed. “I thought she’d be at least a little upset that I didn’t want to go with her,” he looked up at Erin, eyes shining, “She only cared that I wasn’t going to work in her company.” 

Finally, her moment. Erin reached out and squeezed his arm comfortingly. “Well, she doesn’t deserve you. You’re better off without her.” 

“Am I?” 

“Of course you are, James. What kind of mother could leave her son in another country for over a year and show up pretending like nothing ever happened?” Erin responded possessively, “If she can’t see that you’re one of the loveliest, kindest, warmest...” 

James felt his face turn red. He wondered why Erin’s voice trailed off like that, the complements were pretty nice. 

“Anyway. You’re not bad for a Brit. And we get to keep you now, so her loss is Derry’s gain.” Erin finished, feeling foolish for letting herself reveal so much of what she thought of James. 

“Thanks, Erin.” 

Without thinking, James put an arm around Erin, wanting nothing more than to have her closer. She was a massively comforting energy tonight. Realising what he’d done, James pulled his other arm around and made the embrace into a hug. Platonic, very platonic. Just as platonic as noticing how lovely Erin’s hair smelled and how perfectly she fit between his arms. 

If Erin had known all she had to do to get James closer was compliment him a little she’d have been doing it a long time ago. The hug went on just a little too long and they were a little too close for this to be friendly. It was obvious how much had shifted between them and yet neither Erin nor James wanted to admit it. 

They pulled back hesitantly, sitting much closer than they had been before. James kept his hand on his knee, just inches from where Erin’s was, which was about as close as his bravado took him. 

“Have you told Michelle’s mum that you’re here to stay?” Erin asked, working hard to keep the atmosphere as normal as possible. However, this didn’t go to plan. 

James grimaced, “Not yet.” 

“That’s okay, I’m sure if they kick you out, I could get mammy and daddy to let you stay at ours.” 

“That’s only because they think I’m gay!” James blurted out. He was sure if they knew the sordid thoughts he’d had about their daughter, Mary and Gerry would be less than thrilled with the idea of him staying in their house. 

Erin looked uncomfortable, “But you’re not really though. Right?” 

“Not at all,” He assured her. 

“Good,” She responded, and then blushed heavily. 

James ignored the way his heart had picked up pace, “Besides, where would I sleep? We’d have to get bunk beds!” 

“Absolutely not,” Erin giggled, “We’ve shared a bed before, I’m sure we could figure it out without bunk beds.” 

Immediately James’ mind fell to imagining sharing a bed with Erin. If sleeping with all the girls together was enough to drive him to the couch, just the two of them sleeping together, alone... 

“Come on Erin, why do you think I’m sleeping on the sofa tonight?” 

Erin stopped laughing. 

“I-I don’t know,” She responded hesitantly, “Fear you might strangle Michelle in her sleep?” 

James shook his head, Dutch courage flowing through his veins, “Ever since the prom, I can’t stop thinking about you, Erin.” 

Erin’s face was bright red as she stared at him. 

“I thought if I kept my distance then it might, you know, go away. But now you’re here and I’m a bit drunk and I can’t stop talking... But I like you, I’ve liked you for a while now and I think – I hope you like me too?” 

What James had hoped would be an Oscar-worthy confession of his attraction to his best friend turned out more like a question. He felt like he was almost asking Erin to like him back, could anything be any more pathetic? 

“You really like me?” Erin’s voice came out slightly strangled. 

James’ head dropped into his hands. This wasn’t the response he hoped for either, “I think so.” 

“Michelle’s gonna kill us.” 

James didn’t even have time to ask “for what?” before Erin’s hands were in his hair and her lips were on his. It was messy and awkward in the way only teenage kisses could be, but it was the best feckin’ kiss James had ever had. This was unexpected. This was amazing. They fell apart, laughed at the shock in both their faces, and came together again. It was nothing like the terrible kisses of John-Paul and Katya before them, it was the comfortable familiarity of James and Erin with the excitement of the new way they now knew each other. 

They didn’t know how they would tell the others, but they didn’t care. 

And it turned out they didn’t need to. When morning broke and the other girls stumbled downstairs complaining of major hangovers, they found James and Erin right where they’d passed out. Erin lying across James’ chest, his arms holding her tight so she wouldn’t fall off of the tiny sofa. 

“I knew your standards are questionable Erin, but James? Really?” 

Erin’s eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw was Michelle towering over her, with Clare and Orla peeking around for a glimpse. 

“Come on Michelle, our James is just stopping Erin from falling off of the sofa there,” Orla told her, none the wiser to the massive change that had happened overnight. 

“I think it’s cute,” Clare levied, smiling. 

“I think so too,” James said with a wider smile, dropping a kiss onto Erin’s head. Erin grinned, cuddling in closer. 

Michelle made a sound like she was going to boke, “Oh so we’re gonna have to put up with this shite from now on, are we? Count me out.” 

“She’ll come around.” Erin rolled her eyes and they all laughed. 

“Come on you lot, give it twenty minutes and Fionnula’s’ll be open for lunch. I. am. Craving something greasy to cure me of this feckin’ hangover....” 

-


End file.
